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Blogging Ethics

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The IndiBlogger forum is now a read-only archive. Every public discussion is still here to read, but new topics and replies are closed.

Amitabh Mukherjee
from Bangalore |

A few quick points (got to go to the office!). Others can add ...

  1. Respect the blogger's view. Even if you disagree. After all it is his/her blog.
  2. If some one laves a comment, always respond - either by a simple thankyou mail or a reciprocal comment.
  3. Be a good citizen of the blogosphere. All laws of politeness in ordinary conversation applies to blogs too.
  4. Always acknowledge source. Nothing puts off readers when they come across plagiarized material.
  5. Always add value to a reported material. A copy and paste or a series of links is no good. Be a blogger not an aggregator.

Shall add more ...

Cheers! Churn-news

Replies 1 to 20 of 68

Pavan
from Bangalore |

If you don't agree with a particular blogger's point of view, make sure you leave a polite comment. Or don't comment at all.

Amitabh Mukherjee
from Bangalore |

Ok! Still in office but got some spare time now ...

6. The point 4 about source above belongs to pictures too. I see many pictures used by bloggers but are invariably never acknowledged. Bad!

7. Try not to use SMS type language in blogs. And don't use too many ellipses (...) Nothing can be a more put off than a badly written blog.

8.  This point may be disputed by some here, but nevertheless: try not to use pop-ups in blog. This is a guaranteed way of losing readers. 

9. This is forbidden by Google Adsense but I have seen this done. Please don't request to click on an advert on your blog. Pertinently bad manners.

This plus Pavan's one makes it 10. So I will stop now.

Enjoy! Churn-news

Reema Sahay
from Pune |

Useful tips. I myself hae been doing atleast one thing. Downloading pics from net and using. Henceforth, I will go back and acknowledge all the downloaded pics. Thanks a lot!

Rohit Singh Jain
from Chennai |

This appleis to those people damaging English!

Amitabh Mukherjee
from Bangalore |

Would like to add what Ravi Prakash mentioned while reviewing one of the blogs ...

10) Use Spell Checker. A blog with (lots of) typos just shows that you can't care less. That is not polite.

Cheers! Churn-news

Naveen Roy
from Bangalore |

@ Amitabh - good post...

Think there are some good points we can all add here...

@ Sriharsha - like point 13, though it can be a pain to sometimes moderate! Ask Renie!

Renie Ravin
from Chennai |

@Sriharsha - agreed, it needs to be updated. We have another document we would like to share - it encompases ethics of blogging, and also ethical ways in which corporates can approach bloggers. We'll put that up soon!

Amitabh Mukherjee
from Bangalore |

Khushi,

It takes quite a bit of guts to blog. Surprised

Believe me. To put out your thoughts to the world, open it to ridicule and criticism takes guts. Not manyrealize this. So, the fact that you blog is a great first step.

Blogging is also very personal. And we cal all improve.

indu chhibber
from Kota |

Tongue out Amitabh it requires lots of guts not only to blog but also to initiate a topic on forum i think....an innocent topic can take on a different hue altogether & then a person like me would not like to touch it with a barge-pole ;notwithstanding the fact that it would be my duty to wind it up

What do you say ? Certain things just go against your grain,what is one to do then ?

Anoop Zombie
from Bangalore |

@ Weblogian : Quite a comprehensive blogging ethics post you've got there!

Venu Vedam
from Hyderabad |

If you disagree with the blog post, attack the content by all means - but spare the blogger. :) It should not be personal. 

Anoop Zombie
from Bangalore |

@ Venu: Thats the problem dude... since bloggers cant see the emotion in your face and voice ,... everything's personal ! Smile

Hashir Tufail
from Unnao, Bangalore |

@Weblogian,

thanks for the excellent list of ethics of blogging.

Polite Paul
from Bangalore |

Please dont give a link to your post's title. People see your title and then click and then come to know that they are being diverted to some other site.

Some people do this divert people to their site. This is very bad

Pratibha
from Bangalore |

Learnt a few things here  ,,,  :)

my 2 cents : Do not advertise about your blog in comment section of anotherr blog ! I hate such bloggers !!

Amitabh Mukherjee
from Bangalore |

Pratibha,

I would like to disagree here and I know we are pushing the limits of ethics here. Let's assume you have posted something that I genuinely believe relates to something I have posted on my blog. Thre is no way I can actually tell you about it unless I include it in my response. 

Yes! I could leave it linked to my name (most blogs allow comments and URL at the heading). But I have faced occassions when I had more than one posts to indicate and I have put them in the body of the text, which were accepted. Luckily. On the other hand many spam filters reject such comments.

I know this is an invitation to spam. It could create problems. But I would rather have spams (I can always delete them) than miss out on a chance for someone to add value to my posts.

Please feel free to disagree. After all this is a forum Smile

Himanshu Kumar Pandey
from Sakaldiha, Chandauli |

Thanks a lot for this useful blogging ethics.

Ajith Prasad Edassery
from Bangalore |

On the flip side, unethical blogging needs some mention as well (though it might sound like a negative thought)

http://www.dollarshower.com/ten-unethical-blogging-practices/

ilesh
from ahmedabad |

nice tips...

Hemal Shah
from Mumbai |

A difference of Opinion can't be debated on a blog? For example, I am having a debate with sm on his blog. I am doing it in good spirit that we come to know more. Had I not put up a debate, sm might not have come up with more clarity.

I think difference of Opinion can be justified as long as it is done in good spirit. What say?

Ravinder Sharma
from New Delhi |

i think the point about the usuage of mages is the one which most of us neglect, i used to do the same at times, but like what you say - you learn from your own mistakes...make sure when you google out images and upload them onto your blog, don't forget to mention image reference or maybe request posting permission from the image ower, trust me its not that difficult :)

@ Hemal  Yep, true as long as the there is healthy and clean discussion with a topping of smile at both ends